PHILLIPSTON — The town will be connected to Templeton Dispatch’s CodeRED system as part of its service agreement, but not everyone is on board with all its bells and whistles.
This week, Templeton Dispatch Clerk Eric Baker provided selectmen with a review of CodeRED, touted as a reverse 911 system used to send alerts and warnings to residents in the event of an emergency, road closure or other event.
CodeRED serves 40,000 customers worldwide, said Baker.
He noted that to begin, a database must be constructed from information collected — names, addresses and preferences for notification. The town boundaries will be mapped out so areas can be defined. The town’s web page will be customized using the residents’ preferences.
Residents must sign up and indicate how they want to be notified, either by phone call, text message, email, or all three methods. Sign-up is not mandatory. There is also an app for smartphones.
Baker explained that during an event, such as an emergency road closure, the system can be used to alert only those parts of town affected.
Options for use include anything from notifications for upcoming elections, road closures, traffic accidents, school closures and delays, even K9 drills.
The Mobil Alert app can also be used to stay informed about incidents around you when traveling to another CodeRED community. One can also receive alerts while traveling outside your home location, receive notices regarding properties in other locations, and set a warning radius of up to 25 miles to receive any alerts that affect that area. And, you can also customize your preferences to use it for severe weather alerts, missing persons or other emergencies.
Highway Superintendent Rick Tenney said the system would be useful for the highway department in the event a road must be closed without warning, or if there is a house fire, crime or police emergency anywhere in town.
Baker said, “It is good for getting information out to the public.”
Ruth French asked if it will cost the town more, in addition to what is paid for dispatch services. Baker said there is no additional charge. He also noted there are unlimited minutes.
“It’s changed,” he said. “They used to give only so many minutes, but now we can send as many messages as we want.”
Frederick French asked whether the people living around Queen Lake could get the service. It was noted that anyone who signs up for the service will get the notifications.
Ruth French said, “If I sign up for this, I don’t want to be contacted when school’s canceled. I just want the essential notices — emergencies.”
Baker said residents have the option of signing up for just the emergency calls or the general calls, as well.
Baker brought up on his laptop a map of Templeton to give an idea of how the system works. He noted that in the event of an emergency, a particular area of town can be “lassoed” on the screen and the program will show the names and addresses of the people in that area who have signed up for the service, and by which method they chose to be contacted. The Phillipston database will also be customized, once everyone who wishes to has signed up for the service. Notices and instruction of how to sign up will be included in the town newsletter.
Baker said it may be possible to “roll out” the system the first week of July.